Artifact of Our Time Spent Together
by Kiba Sniper
Summary: While inspecting her room after Terra's betrayal, Starfire comes across a pair of jeans, sending her right back to the moment she got them with Terra. Starfire/Terra


Femslash February 2020 Day 4: Denim.

Artifact of Our Time Spent Together

Starfire's breath caught in her throat when she noticed the garment still in her closet. Her hand trembled as she reached for it, but as her fingertips brushed against the frayed patch underneath the pocket, she drew back like a kicked dog. She swallowed, bolstering her courage and trying again, this time managing to pull the pair of jeans off the hanger and held them in front of her.

"I knew they'd look good on you. Then again, you can make anything look good," the Terra in her head said with a grin pressing into her cheek.

Starfire flinched and drew back, a shaky gasp escaping her. Her fingers tightened around the jeans, focusing on the ringed loops where a belt would fit, an accessory Terra had insisted would look perfect on her. She traced her finger down the seam on the right side, marveling over how out of all of her earthling clothing, the jeans she and Terra had bought together remained unburned and unmarred from the invasion last night.

When she blinked, her surroundings swapped out like an abrupt scene change in a movie as Terra's laughter echoed in her head. The walls of her bedroom with newly-made holes blasted through them transformed into the enclosed, sterile space of a changing room at her favorite clothing store. White walls and tiled floors burned her retinas compared to the bleak hues of red and purple coloring her bedroom. Her closet became a full-length mirror. When she saw her reflection, she smiled at herself and lowered her hands. Lingering smoke and rust in the air became cloyingly floral, drawing her into the memory as she noticed Terra's bright cerulean eyes light up while watching Starfire pivot on her heels to look over her shoulder at herself now wearing the jeans.

"They feel...snug? Rather, not loose?" Starfire offered, tapping her chin. She tugged the waistband clinging to her hips. They certainly weren't like the skirts she wore, which she believed gave her more versatility compared to the jeans hugging her toned calves. Without her boots, she felt surprisingly bare as she faced Terra, wearing only a simple pair of violet flip-flops for their outing.

Terra snickered and crossed her arms. She was in her old outfit, the black tube top and yellow shorts replaced with her gray shirt, white tank top, and blue cargo shorts. The garbs were nostalgic for Starfire. They were fond reminders of their first meeting and her interest in the material Terra called "denim," which she had never cared for until she inspected her new friend's wardrobe.

"Jeans are kind of constrictive," Terra said, standing up from her spot on the white bench attached to the wall. She cocked her head and patted her shorts. "Maybe I should've pulled something like these off the rack for you."

"Oh, no, the jeans are wonderful," Starfire reassured with a smile. She floated off the ground and pointed her toes to the floor. She examined her legs and felt Terra watch her, her eyes focusing on Starfire's reaction. "The material is...smooth, soft, and yet, I believe it is..." She scratched her thigh and hummed. "...strong?"

"That's one way to describe 'em," Terra said, stepping around her. She stood in front of the mirror and grinned at Starfire. A whistle ghosted past her lips. "I think you look stellar. Like I said, you make anything look good."

She giggled and tucked in her legs, the fabric creasing by her knees. It was an odd sensation, feeling the wrinkles bunch up against her skin but one she welcomed. As Terra placed her hands on Starfire's knees and chuckled, she beamed down at her and took in the gentle curve of her face, the plumpness in her cheeks which hadn't been there when they first met.

And when she blinked, she was back in her destroyed bedroom with the ashy remains of her outfits spilling out in her closet. Starfire stared at the jeans, her throat clogging and lips trembling. The deep blue jeans mocked her, reminding her of the bright color of Terra's eyes, eyes which she found herself lost in countless times, eyes which had been deceiving her the whole time.

Starfire clutched the jeans tighter, and her muscles tensed. She hunched forward and snarled, grinding down so hard on her molars that they nearly cracked. She twisted her fingers around the smooth fabric, the temptation to sling them out a window or burn them with a starbolt electrifying her thoughts.

But that wouldn't bring Terra back. That wouldn't expunge their time together in her memories. Little things would have always reminded her of Terra. Colors, words, and now a simple pair of jeans, they all brought Starfire back to her beloved Terra.

She stifled a sob. Burying her face in the jeans, Starfire dug in her heels. Swallowing back hiccups, a selfish part of her wished she could have burned the memories of Terra just like Slade's robots had done to the Tower, just like Terra had done to her.


End file.
